Product encircling sleeve

ABSTRACT

A product encircling sleeve is formed of two side-by side strips having projecting end portions which are foldably connected thereto, and which are foldably connected together. In forming the band, the two strips are folded into face contact and then expanded into rectangular relation along fold lines extending across the strips intermediate the ends thereof. The projecting end portions are folded against the strip, and a locking tongue on one projecting end portion at each end of the strips folds over the part of the strip against which the end portions are folded to engage between the strip and the enclosed product.

United States Patent [191 Krzyzanowski PRODUCT ENCIRCLING SLEEVE [75 Inventor: Robert A. Krzyzanowski,

Wauwatosa, Wis.

[73] Assignee: Hoerner Waldorf Corporation,

Ramsey, Minn.

[22] Filed: July 25, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 275,110

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Great Britain 229/35 Primary Examiner-Donald A. Griffin Attorney-Robert M. Dunning 57] ABSTRACT A product encircling sleeve is formed of two side-by side strips having projecting end portions which are foldably connected thereto, and which are foldably connected together. In forming the band, the two strips are folded into face contact and then expanded into rectangular relation along fold lines extending across the strips intermediate the ends thereof. The projecting end portions are folded against the strip, and a locking tongue on one projecting end portion at each end of the strips folds over the part of the strip against which the end portions are folded to engage between the strip and the enclosed product.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PRODUCT ENCIRCLING SLEEVE This invention relates to an improvement in product encircling sleeve and deals particularly with a sleeve of paperboard or similar material which may be used to encircle a plurality of objects to hold them assembled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of strips have been produced to encircle a plurality of objects to hold them in assembled relation. In some instances these are in the form of a strip of paperboard or the like having interlocking ends. In other cases, a material such as gummed tape or the like has been used. Steel or metal strapping is also commonly used for this purposes.

In the case of materials such as tiles and the like, certain of these previously used methods are not particularly successful. For example, gummed tape can usually not be used in view of the fact that the gummed surface adheres to the portions of the tile which it overlies and is difficult to remove. Metal or plastic strapping can be used only with extreme care because of the danger of injuring the edgesof the product being wrapped. A strap of paperboard may be used, but the locking means connecting the ends of such a strip. tend to weaken the construction and the locks tend to tear in use. Thus, while the use of paperboard strips serves both to hold the products together and also to provide a printable display surface for product identification, such strips cannot be used if there is a tendency for the locks to tear in use. Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a product encircling sleeve which has the advantages of previous 'paperboard strips, but does not have the disadvantages thereof. Obviously, the paperboard strips must be long enough to encircle the product, often requiring the transportation of long narrow strips which are difficult to print and difficult to stack in readiness for use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a product encircling strip which comprises a pair of strip portions which are in side by side relation and which are hingedly connected to projecting end portions. These projecting end portions of the two strips are hingedly connected along a fold line which is aligned with the slit dividing the two strips. As a result, the two strips can be folded into face contact, and then expanded into rectangular form. Obviously, by providing additional fold lines, the strips may be designed to encircle hexagonal or octagonal objects as well as the rectangular ones for which the band is designed.

When the two strips are folded in relation, and expanded into rectangular form, the projecting end portions are in side by side relation and surface contact. A locking tongue is provided on the outer of the two projecting end portions against the end portion of one of the strips. When the product is encircled by the band, the product holds the locking tongue in place. In other words, the band is held in project encircling: position by the locking tongue which is engaged between the band and the product being enclosed.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the product encircling sleeve is formed.

FIG. 2 is a view of the blank after it has been folded so that opposite sides of the strip are in side by side relation.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sleeve in partially completed form.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the inside corner of the sleeve in its completed form.

FIG. 5 is an outside perspective view of the sleeve in its completed form.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION As indicated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the product encircling sleeve includes a pair of strips 10 and 11 which are separated throughout their length by a cut line 12. Projecting end portions 13 and 14 are hingedly connected to the ends of the strip l0 along fold lines 15 and 16. The fold lines 15 and 16 extend transversely of the strips. The strip 11 is also provided with projecting end portions 17 and 19 respectively which are connected to the ends of the strip along fold lines 20 and 21 which are aligned with the fold line 15 and 16. The projecting end portions 13 and 17 are hingedly connected along a fold line 22 which is aligned with the cut line 12. Similarly, the projecting end portions 14 and 19 are hingedly connected along a fold line 23 which is aligned with the cut line 12. A locking tab 24 is hingedly connected to the projecting end portion 13 along an extension of the fold line 22. In the same man ner, a locking tab 25 is hingedly connected to the projecting end portion 19 along a extension of the fold line 23. The blank is shown as indicated in FIG. I of the drawings. In the first step of forming the product encircling sleeve, the blank is folded along the fold lines 22 and 23 as indicated in FIG. 2 of the drawings. When in this position, the two strips 10 and 11 are in face contact.

Fold lines 26 and 27 extend transversely across the strips intermediate the ends thereof so that the strips may be folded into generally rectangular relation. When thus folded, the projecting end portions form the sole means of connection between the two strips 10 and 11. The sleeve is formed into generally rectangular relation as indicated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, and the projecting end portions are folded against one of the strips at diagonally opposite corners of the sleeve. In FIG. 3, one of the pairs of foldably connected end portions are shown projecting outwardly from the sleeve, while the other is folded against a portion of the sleeve. The locking tabs 24 and 25 are folded over the 'edge of the strip against which they are folded, and the resulting sleeve is placed in the position to encircle the product, In the particular arrangement illustrated, the sleeves are used for encircling tiles. When the sleeves are in place, the locking tabs 24 and 25 are held in place by engagement with the product and the ends of the two strips are held connected together by the foldable connections 22 and 23, and by the locking tongues 24 and 25.

An aperture 30 is formed in the projecting end portion 13, and a similarly shaped aperture 31 is formed in the strip 11 in the area inwardly of the folded end projecting portions. An aperture 32 is formed in the end extension 19 and a similar aperture 33 is formed in the strip 10. These apertures 30, 31 and 32, 33 are registered in the folded condition of the strips, and may serve to accommodate pressure sensitive tape or other means if it is so desired. In the particular arrangement illustrated, the apertures merely form decoration.

In accordance with the Patent Statutues, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in PRODUCT ENCIRCLING SLEEVE; while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A product encircling sleeve blank including:

a pair of elongated side by side paperboard strips separated by a cut line,

each strip having projecting end portions connected to the ends thereof along aligned fold lines extending transversely of the strip,

each strip having auxiliary fold lines extending transversely across the same intermediate the ends thereof,

the projecting end portions at each end of the strip being connected along fold lines which are aligned with said cut line,

one said projecting end portion at each end of said strips having a locking tongue secured thereto along a fold line aligned with said previously described fold lines.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which each said on projecting end portion extends beyond the adjoining end portion to which it is hinged.

3. A project encircling sleeve including:

a pair of similar elongated paperboard strips of equal length,

a projecting end portion hingedly connected to each end of each of said strip along fold lines extending transversely of said strip,

the projecting end portions of one strip being hingedly connected to the projecting end portions of the other strip along fold lines aligned with one longitudinal edge of said strips.

4. The sleeve of claim 3 and in which said projecting end portions of one strip are in face contact with the projecting end portions of the other strip to form a pair of projections at each end of the strip.

5. The structure of claim 4 and in which each of the pairs of projecting end portions which are in face contact are folded against the outer surface of one of the strips to which one of the projecting end portions of each pair is foldably connected.

6. The structure of claim 5 and in which one of said projecting end portions of each pair includes a locking tongue folded over said one longitudinal edge of the strip.

7. The structure of claim 4 and in which one of said projecting end portions of each pair extends beyond the end of the other projecting end portion of each pair, and each said one projecting end portion includes a locking tongue hingedly connected thereto in substantial alignment with said fold lines connecting the projecting end portions at each end of said strips, and in which said projecting end portions are folded against said strips and said locking tongues are folded over said one longitudinal edge of one said strip.

8. The structure of claim 7 and in which the portions of said one projecting end portions which extend beyond the other projecting end portion, as well as said strip, are provided with registering apertures therethrough.

9. The structure of claim 3 and including a fold line extending transversely across each of said strips intermediate the fold lines connecting said strips to said projecting end portions. 

1. A product encircling sleeve blank including: a pair of elongated side by side paperboard strips separated by a cut line, each strip having projecting end portions connected to the ends thereof along aligned fold lines extending transversely of the strip, each strip having auxiliary fold lines extending transversely across the same intermediate the ends thereof, the projecting end portions at each end of the strip being connected along fold lines which are aligned with said cut line, one said projecting end portion at each end of said strips having a locking tongue secured thereto along a fold line aligned with said previously described fold lines.
 2. The structure of claim 1 and in which each said on projecting end portion extends beyond the adjoining end portion to which it is hinged.
 3. A project encircling sleeve including: a pair of similar elongated paperboard strips of equal length, a projecting end portion hingedly connected to each end of each of said strip along fold lines extending transversely of said strip, the projecting end portions of one strip being hingedly connected to the projecting end portions of the other strip along fold lines aligned with one longitudinal edge of said strips.
 4. The sleeve of claim 3 and in which said projecting end portions of one strip are in face contact with the projecting end portions of the other strip to form a pair of projections at each end of the strip.
 5. The structure of claim 4 and in which each of the pairs of projecting end portions which are in face contact are folded against the outer surface of one of the strips to which one of the projecting end portions of each pair is foldably connected.
 6. The structure of claim 5 and in which one of said projecting end portions of each pair includes a locking tongue folded over said one longitudinal edge of the strip.
 7. The structure of claim 4 and in which one of said projecting end portions of each pair extends beyond the end of the other projecting end portion of each pair, and each said one projecting end portion includes a locking tongue hingedly connected thereto in substantial alignment with said fold lines connecting the projecting end portions at each end of said strips, and in which said projecting end portions are folded against said strips and said locking tongues are folded over said one longitudinal edge of one said strip.
 8. The structure of claim 7 and in which the portions of said one projecting end portions which extend beyond the other projecting end portion, as well as said strip, are provided with registering apertures therethrough.
 9. The structure of claim 3 and including a fold line extending transversely across each of said strips intermediate the fold lines connecting said strips to said projecting end portions. 